Automatic resetting fusible cut-out



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. D. HOLMESfi: W. L. HEATH. AUTOMATIG RESETTING FUSIBLE GUT-OUT.

N0.. 604,616. Patented May 24,1898. F- 1 2 2 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet2.

J. D. HOLMES 81; W. L. HEATH. AUTOMATIU RESETTING FUSIBLE GUT-OUT.

No. 604,616. Patented May 24,1898.

7 2 I 1 Il/ v 6w! w vtmeaaeo l 3 4/ wuem co to 7(9. @3314 mumm UNTTEDSTATES PATENT Orricn.

JOHN D. HOLMES AND WVEBSTER L. HEATH, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC RESETTENG FUSlBLEGUT-OUT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 604,616, dated May 24,1898. Application filed April 12, 1897. Serial No. 631,668. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN D. HOLMES and \VEBSTER L. HEATH, citizens ofthe United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State ofMissouri, have invented a certain new and useful Automatic ResettingFusible Out-Out, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exactdescription as will enable any one skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The principal objection to fusible cut-outs as now made is that whenevera fuse is burned out the entire circuit in which it is contained isrendered inoperative and remains so until a new fuse is inserted in thecut-out. This is a source of great annoyance and delay, especially intelegraph-lines, signal systems,

and the like, for which our cut-out ismore especially designed, althoughit maybe adapted for any kind of electrical work in which a fusiblecut-out is desired. The object of our invent-ion is to overcome thisobjection by constructing a fusible cut-out carrying two or more fuseswhich will automatically bring a new fuse into position after one hasbeen burned out.

Our invention consists in a fusible cut-out having a movable partcarrying two or more fuses and provided with means for automaticallyactuating said movable part to bring a new fuse into the-circuit whenone has been burned out and in other novel features and details ofconstruction, all of which are fully described in the followingspecification and pointed out in the claims affixed hereto.

111 the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form of cut-out madein accordance with our invention, Figure 1 is a front elevation. Fig. 2is a top plan view, part of the fuse-carrying arms being omitted tobetter show the remaining ones. Fig. 3 is an isometric projection of oneof the fuse-carrying arms and the part in which it is pivoted. Fig.

4 is an isometric projection of one of the linewire terminals. Fig.5 isavertical longitudinal section. Fig. 6 is an end view. Fig. 7 is anenlarged section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 5, and Fig. 8 is adiagrammatical view.

Like marks of reference refer to similar parts in the several views ofthe drawings.

ets.

the disk 16.

10 is a base of any suitable insulating material. Secured to the base 10in any suitable manner are two arms 11, in which is rigidly secured arodor shaft 12. On the rod 12 is loosely mounted a sleeve 13. To one endof the sleeve 13 is secured one end of a spiral spring 14, Fig. 5, theother end of which is attached to a cylindrical box or case 15, rigidlysecured in the. shaft 12. To the sleeve 13 are rigidly secured two disks16, of hard rubber, fiber, or other insulating material.

18 are fuse'carrying arms which are pivoted in U-shaped brackets 19,carried by the disks 16. The arms 18 are arranged in pairs opposite eachother, one on each of the disks 16. In the drawings we have shown sixpairs; but the number may be increased or diminished, as desired. Thebrackets 19 are secured to the disks 16 by threaded rods 20 and nuts 21.The rods 20 are formed with square portions 22, Fig. 3, or other meansis provided to prevent the rotation of the brack- 'On the inner end ofeach of the arms 18 is formed aprojection 23 and on the outer end aprojection 24, in which is formed a groove 25, Fig. 3.

26 is a pin formed on the arm 18 and which rests against the disk 16,and thus holds the two arms of a pair parallel when the fuse is inposition. 011 the opposite side of the arm 18 is a threaded projection27, Fig. 5, on which is a milled nut 28, which serves to secure the fuse29 in position.

30 are two L-shaped line-wire terminals, which are secured inguide-plates 31 by screws 32, which pass through slots 33 in the saidterminals. The screws 32 also act as binding-posts for the ends of theline-wire 34. On each of the terminals 30 is a lateral projection 35,terminating adjacent to the face of Secured in the projection 35 by ascrew 36 and projecting in the path of projections 23 of the arms 18 isa brush 37.

Carried by an L-shaped arm 39 is a plate 40, which acts as alightning-arrester. The arm 29 is secured in a guide-plate 41 'by ascrew 42, which passes through a slot 43 in the said arm 39, and alsoserves as a bindingpost for a ground-wire 44.

' In Fig. 7 is shown in detail the device for retarding the rotation ofthe sleeve 13 and attached parts. 45 is an escape-wheel, which isrigidly mounted on the sleeve 13. Pivoted to a bracket 46, secured tothe arm 11, is an anchor 4C7, which engages with the escapewheel 45. Onthe anchor 47 is a forked arm 48, which engages with a pin 49 on abalancewheel 50. The balance-wheel 50 is pivoted to the arm 11 andprovided with a suitable spring 51.

\Vhile we prefer to use the device above described, it is obvious thatmany other wellknown devices may be used to retard the motion of thesleeve 13.

The operation of our cut-out is as follows: The fuse-wires 29 arestretched from one arm 18 of each pair to the other, passing along thegrooves 25 and secured in place by the milled nuts 28. The projections23 of the pair of arms 18 adjacent to the line-wire terminals 30 areforced against the brushes 37 by the action of the spring 11, which hasbeen previously wound by turning the rotary parts of the cut-outbackward. The contact of the projections 23 with the brushes 37 looksthe rotary parts of the cut-out against any further rotation in thedirection in which they are impelled by the spring and at the same timebrings the fuse 29 into the circuit. The current enters by one end ofthe line-wire and passes along the terminal 30, brush 37, and arm 18 tothe fuse 29 and passes out along the other arm 18, brush 37, terminal30, and line-wire \Vhenever an excessive current passes over the lineand the fuse is burned out, the arms 18 swing on their pivots, as shownin Fig. 2, an d release the sleeve 13 and attached parts, so that theycan be rotated by the spring 14- to bring the fuse carried by the nextsucceeding pair of arms 18 into the circuit. The terminals 30 can beadjusted by means of the screws 3 to insure the proper contact of theprojections 23 with the brushes 37.

If the rotary part of the cut-out were al lowed to move as fast as itcould be driven by the spring, it might happen that a new fuse would bebrought into the circuit before the high tension 011 the line-wire wasrelieved, and consequently a second or even a third fuse burned out. XVehave overcome this objection by the use of the retarding device shown indetail in Fig. 7. The escape-wheel 4.5 can only rotate as fast asallowed by the motion of the balance-wheel 50, and being secured to thesleeve 13 retards the motion of the entire rotary part. By varying thesize of the escape-whee1 45 or, if necessary, interposing gearingbetween it and the sleeve 13 the cut-out can be arranged so that anydesired length of time will elapse between the burning out of one fuseand the bringing of the next into the circuit.

The plate 10 being connected with the ground insures the speedy burningout of the fuse in case of an excessive current by the formation of anare between the fuse and the said plate. This plate also tends toprevent the formation of an are between the terminals in case of ahigh-tension current by conducting the current to ground.

The number of fuses carried by the cut-out may be varied, so as to adaptit to the require ments of the use to which it is to be put with regardto the liability of the fuses to be burned out and the frequency withwhich it will be inspected.

\Ve wish it understood that we do not limit ourselves to theconstruction shown and described, as many changes may be made in theform and construction without departing from the spirit of ourinvention.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a fusible cut-out, a movable member, fuse-holding devices carriedby said movable member and normally locking the same, said fuse-holdingdevices being arranged in pairs and insulated from each other, means forreleasing said movable member when a fuse is burned out, and line-wireterminals adapted to be put in electrical communication with one paironly of said fuse-holding devices at a time.

2. In a fusible cutout, a rotary member, radial fuse-holding armspivotally mounted thereon to swing in radial planes, said rotary memberbeing normally locked against rotation, and means for releasing saidrotary member when a fuse is burned out.

3. In a fusible cut-out, a rotary member, fuse-holding arms pivotallymounted on said rotary member to swing in radial planes, each of saidfuse-holding arms being insulated from the others, and stops at each endof said rotary member adapted to come in contact with said fuse-holdingarms when they are held in position by a fuse and thereby lock saidrotary member.

4. In a fusible cut-out, a rotatable sleeve, disks of insulatingmaterial carried by said sleeve, radial fuse-carrying arms pivotallymounted on said disks, projections on said radial arms, and line-wireterminals with which said projections come in contact when said arms areheld in position by a fuse.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands and aflixed ourseals in the pres enee of the two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN D. HOLMES. i s] wnnsrnn L. HEATH. s.

\Vitnesses:

J OHN F. GREEN, W. A. ALEXANDER.

IOO

